US snubs disarmament-body session over Syria’s presidency

GENEVA – The United States is snubbing a session of the U.N.’s main disarmament body to protest Syria’s turn to hold the rotating presidency.

The move by Robert Wood, the U.S.’s ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, comes a week after he temporarily walked out as Syria kicked off its four-week presidency. He later returned and exchanged verbal jabs with the chair.

The U.S. diplomatic mission in Geneva said Wood will bow out entirely Tuesday.

Critics accuse President Bashar Assad’s government of using chemical weapons on civilians during Syria’s seven-year civil war and say it is inappropriate that it is presiding over the 65-member body.

In a statement, Wood cited Syria’s “repeated attempts” to use its presidency to “normalize the regime and its unacceptable and dangerous behaviour.”